Wind-wheel vane



Oct. 27, 1931. H. CJSCHNEIDER 1,829,062

WIND WHEEL VANE Filed Dec. 8, 52.6 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Han/y Ic/maidar ATTORNEY Oct. 27, 1931. H. c. SCHNEIDER Q WIND WHEEL VANE Filed Dec. 8, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Henry C. Schneider BY@ 5/ ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 27, '1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY C. SCHNEIDER, OF IBELOIT, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO FAIRBANKS, MORSE &,

' (10., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A- CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS WIND-WHEEL VAN E M invention relates to improvements in Win wheels, and more particularly to 1 mprovements in and a method of construct ng the vanes or sails for use on the driving 5 Wheelsof wind-driven apparatus.

The object of my invention is to provlde a windwh'eel vane of a design which can be manufactured at a cost comparable to the vanes in use at the present time, and adapted to be mounted on the wheel by existing methods, and yet which will be a great deal more eflicient in operation. j

A further object of my invention is .to provide a wind-vane which may be formed of a single piece of flat material, without abrupt curves, yet having strength at least equal to present forms and giving resultsmarkedly superior to the older types of wind-vanes.

Further objects andadvantages of my 1nvention will appear from the-drawings and the following description thereof.

The description of my invention is confined herein to its applicationto wlndmills. This is intended 'to be only by way of example, as the same general construction'may be embodied in other apparatus in such a way as to fall within the spirit of my invention. j

' The noveltyfofthe wing hereinvdescribed is the shape of the member adapted to receive energy from the air impinging upon its surface. It has been the custom for years to employ aplurality'of wings or vanes, usually radially disposed, as is contemplated inthe present case, 'ona rotating windwheel. The usual practice'has been to construct each vane either with a plane surface or one which is very slightly cambered, with a uniform curvature from leading edge to trailing edge scross the wing, and to set the vanes at an angle to the plane of rotation of the wheel. Thelatter practice is preferably retained in mounting my newer vanes, as is-that of in- F creasing the width ofeach of the vanesfrom the center to the periphery of the wheel.

Instead of this usual uniform curvature of a transverse section of the wing, I use a wing that has curves ofdifl'erentradii. the curvature'beinggreatest, i. e., having. the shortest radius, nearest the leading or entering edge of the Wing. The radius of curvature increases greatly to a point substantially onetenth the chord distance from leading edge to trailing edge; the remainder of the'width of the sail has a section which is curved very slightly, i. e., on a comparatively large radius. Transverse sections of the vane are preferably of substantially the same contour I no matter at what point taken.

Besides having a novel transverse curvature, the vane is preferably cambered length- I wise or curved very slightly on its longitudinal axis. As shown in the drawings, the longitudinal curve is preferably uniform from top to bottom. I prefer to dish the sail lengthwiseto the extent of one inch in a sail 29 inches in length. This curve can,.how-

ever, be varied within substantial limits. By this constructionI have attained a requisite degree of strength and rigidity without the use of extra reinforcing or. stiffening ribs,

and without corrugationfor strength. The latter is an objectionable expedient for strengthening, on account of the bad surface effect of corrugations in a Wind sail.

There have been various attempts in the through the slight lon itudinal camber, in-

t" stead of using a two-wall element.

nature ofmy wheel-sail will be readily apparent from a reference to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a plan of apreferred form of sail {F151 2 indlcates a transverse section taken along X-X at the inner or small end of the sail. nearest the hub of the wheel; Fig. 3 shows a transverse section taken along Y,Y at the tip of the sail, at the periphery of the windshield and indicates a preferred location of the sail relative to the plane of rotating of the wheel, and to the air stream; Fig. 4; is a diagrammatic indication of the longitudinal curvature along line 44, the outer or peripheral end of the sail being at the top of the figure, and Fig. 5 is a projection of the sail after forming. In the drawings, the proportion of the parts has been preserved throughout, but certain of the sections shown on a different scale, in the interest of convenience of illustration.

Referring by letters to the drawings, A indicates the leading or entering edge of the sail and D its trailing edge. The curve ABC-D indicates preferred transverse cross section, in which the section AB haspreferably the shortest radius, B--C, a somewhat greater radius and CI a comparatively large radius of curvature. It will be understood that I am not limited to the exact location of points B and C, as shown, as either or both of these points may be shift- .ed between reasonable limits without substantially affecting results. My preference is to locate point 13 substantially one-tenth the chord distance between points A and P, and point C at substantially one-third the chord distance between these points. A suitable means of securing the sail at the hub end is provided in cars or projections E. The same or other suitable means (not shown) may be provided at the opposite extremity of the sail. The plane of rotation of the windwheel is in dicatedby bg, and the direction of air current by arrow 7cj. X denotes the inner extremity of the sail and 3 the outer or peripheral extremity thereof. 7

The description herein is applicable to the outer surface of the sail. I prefer to use a sheet metal forthis sail, say a galvanized sheet steel of about number twenty U. S. S. gauge. The particular curves illustrated as examples have a chord length equal to .96 w arc length; this proportion is subject to some slight variation. The preferred curve form of the transverse sections may be constructed from a plurality of circles of different radii: preferably the'composite curve comprises at least three different curves. By the use of only two different curves I am able to obtain results approximating experimental results with the sections shown inthe accompanying drawings.

An experimental comparison of wheels equipped with the usual older type of sail, with the new equipment shows that the new sail requiresa much lower velocity of 'air current to overcome friction at rest andst-art the apparatus; further, that it provides a higher starting torque. The older types of wheel show marked differences inefficiency through a. range of wind velocities and-speed of rotation of the wheel. A wheel using the new sails shows ofv course some differences in efliciency with different air velocities, but the results obtained are much more in conformity with the wind-speed.

In practice I prefer to roll or die-stamp the vanes in quantities; obviously any of the other usual means for shaping sheet metal, may equally well be employed.

I claimi I 1. In a windwheel, a blade element of trapezoidal shape and formed of a substantially uniformthickness of sheet material, said ele ment being transverselycurved and having a progressively decreasing curvature from the leading edge toward the trailing edge of said element, and bein longitudinally dished, on a substantially uniform radius.

2. In a windwheel, a pressed sheet metal blade element of substantially rectilinear out-. line and substantially uniform thickness throughout, having a transverse cross-section in the nature of a composite curve, the parts of which bear like proportions at different points along the blade, said curve comprising aplurality ofarcs of different radii, the arc of shortest radius being adjacent the leading edge, and the arc of greatest radius being adjacent the trailing edge of said element, said element being tapered in width between its inner and outer ends, and cambered longitudinally.

3. In a windwheel, a pressed sheet metal vane of trapezoidal outline and substantially uniform thickness, throughout its width and length, said vane being cambered transversely and having a progressively increasing radius of curvature from the leading edge to the trailing edge thereof, the transversely curved portions being. similarly proportioned at different points along the vane, said vane also being cambered longitudinally.

4. In a windwheel, a metal pressed sheet vane of trapezoidal outline and substantially uniform thickness, said vane being cambered transversely so as to provide a gradually in: creasing radius of curvature from the leading edge to the trailing edge thereof. the transverse curvature being of substantially identical proportions at all points along the vane, said vane being cambered longitudinally on a uniform radius, and disposed at such anangle to the plane of rotation of said windwheel, that the leading. edge, being the portion of greatest transverse curvature, is first pre sented substantially edgewise to the airstream.

5. In a windwheel, a pressed sheet metal vane of trapezoidal outline and substantially uniform thickness, said vane being cambered transversely so as to provide a gradually and progressivelyincreasing radius of curvature from the leading edge tothe trailing edge thereof, the different parts of the transverse curve being of like proportion to each other at all points along the vane, said vane being curved longitudinally on a uniform radius, and adapted to be disposedat an angle to the being provided with integral, supporting extensions.

HENRY o. SCHNEIDER. 

